Town of Banff

Land Use Bylaw Review

Phase 1 of the Land Use Bylaw review has been approved by Town Council.

Council has passed third and final reading of the bylaw.  The bylaw will come into effect when it has been approved by the Government of Canada.  Highlights of the new bylaw are:

Front, rear, and side yard setbacks

• Front yard setbacks reduced, except for in the Banff Springs District which will remain the same.
• Rear yard setbacks reduced.
• Side yard setbacks – will remain the same.
  
• More information

Building height

• 3 storeys in areas adjacent to downtown and commercial accommodation districts.
• 2.5 storeys in all other areas except for the River Front District which will remain at 2 storeys.
• More information

Site coverage

• Increase in site coverage permitted if storm water management systems are installed.
• Single family homes will not qualify for increases in site coverage.
• More information

Floor area ratio (FAR)

• FAR will be increased by a factor of 20% in each land use district.
• More information

Permitted & discretionary uses

• Approved permitted and discretionary uses ( PDF - 80 kb)

Street lighting

Council asked staff to draft a street lighting policy that will address

• design and performance specifications
• downlighting & protection of the night time sky

Secondary Suites

• Will be permitted in all single detached homes and duplexes throughout the Town, subject to restrictions.
• More information

Alternative Transportation

• Parking requirements reduced with the provision of bicycles or transit passes.
• More information

Building Efficiency

• Construction standards improved to mandate energy efficiency in new construction.
• More information

Rezoning

• Council will give further consideration to rezoning land on Park Avenue for residential use.
• If the site on Park Avenue is rezoned, land on Antelope Lane will be rezoned from residential reserve to public parkland.
• The majority of other rezoning recommendations were not supported by Council
• More information

More information

To see the administrative reports that went to Council:

• December 21, 2009 Council agenda package

To see a record of Council's decisions, read the minutes from:

• November 23, 2009  ( PDF - 161 kb)
• December 14, 2009 ( PDF - 175 kb)
• December 21, 2009 ( PDF - 131 kb)

You can use the following  pages to learn more about the review process, proposed amendments, background material and policies, and contact information for the review team.

• Background Material; Learn more about the policies which guide and direct development in the Town of Banff
  
• The Review Process; An overview of how the Land Use Bylaw review will unfold over the coming months
  
• Phase One Outreach: View opportunities related to Residential Density, Environmental Design Guidelines, and Lighting and Signage
   
• Our Team; Contact the review team
  
• Feedback; Ask a question or give us your thoughts
  
• Our Townsite; Learn more about our Town
  
• Building on Tradition; See how Banff has changed through the years
  
• Outreach Material; View information used during the consultation process, such as display boards, news releases, and presentations